Graduations

May and June are quite busy with high school and college graduations, why not make a big deal out of it by throwing a party. After all, I’m sure our Vice President would even agree, it’s a big $&#*@^! deal.

I’m sorry but ceremonies for “graduating” preschool, kindergarten and fifth
grade all seem to, well… they’re dumb. It’s not a graduation people! They are just going into another grade in a couple months! And besides, how many kids don’t graduate from preschool? “I’m sorry, Timmy, but you are being held back because you finger-painted yourself in lime rather than green like you were told.”

Celebrating bigger milestones, like graduating high school for instance, makes a little more sense. This is usually a big transition from being a kid to becoming an adult, complete with a whole new set of responsibilities. Have a party. Have some cake. Have some fun. The sticker-shock of the real world will soon set in them, but before that happens have a get-together with family and friends to commemorate their achievements.

College graduations can be a little more tricky, depending of course on how much the kid changed, which let’s be honest with ourselves, those first years out of high school we all changed a lot. It also may depend on where they went to school, which if it is quite a ways from home, a big celebration may not readily be possible, especially if they do not plan on coming home any time soon. However, there is no reason that those who did make it to the graduation can’t plan on something, even if it is nothing more than a night out at a nice restaurant.

Of course, everybody is different. Hopefully you’ll know your graduate well enough to plan something that will be special to them and a memory they will cherish. And if not, and this is nothing to beat yourself up over as teenagers and young adults are highly erratic creatures, you can always ask them what they want to do. Then again, if their response is, “I don’t know” tell them you are renting a petting zoo and Cowboy Bob will be there to make balloon animals for everyone. That might help them figure something out, and if not, who doesn’t like balloon animals?!